Chapter 36: A Day Away (Silas POV)
That text, “You should’ve run,” still chills me as we slip out of the alley, Nico’s hand tight in mine, the warehouse fading behind us. My chest’s heavy, lungs raw from running, and I feel him shaking beside me, the kiss we shared burning bright in the dark. “We need a break,” I say, loud, stopping short in the shadows, turning to him. His eyes are wide, tired, but he nods, slow, like he’s too beat to argue. “Yeah,” he says, quiet, voice rough. “Just a few hours.”
We head out, fast, no plan, just away, away from enforcers, Mercer, the mess trying to swallow us. The city’s waking up, streets buzzing soft, and I pull him toward a spot I know, a park on the edge of town, quiet, hidden behind old buildings. It’s got a rooftop nearby, flat and empty, where no one’s chasing us, no one’s watching. We climb up, slow, steps creaking under us, and settle there, sun warm on our faces, air clean for once, cutting through the weight we’ve been carrying.
I sit hard, legs dangling over the edge, and Nico drops beside me, close, his shoulder brushing mine. The park’s below, trees green, kids laughing faint in the distance, and it’s strange, peaceful, like we’ve stepped out of our lives. He grabs my hand, sudden, fingers lacing with mine, and I look at him, quick, seeing him smile, small but real. “This is nice,” he says, soft, squeezing my hand tight, and my chest warms, slow, feeling him there, solid, alive.
We stay quiet awhile, just holding on, sun climbing higher, and I dig out some fries from a bag we grabbed on the way, greasy, cheap, perfect. Nico leans over, fast, stealing one from my hand, grinning wide when I glare at him. “Thief,” I say, loud, nudging him soft with my elbow, and he laughs, bright, snagging another. “You love it,” he says, sharp, tossing one in his mouth, and I do, love this, him, the normalcy hitting me hard after weeks of running.
He shifts, closer, his knee pressing mine, and looks out at the park, slow, like he’s thinking deep. I watch him, steady, feeling the calm settle, and then he turns, sudden, catching my eye. His hand’s still in mine, warm, and he leans in, slow, kissing me soft under the sun. It’s not desperate like last night, gentle, sweet, lips lingering easy, and I kiss him back, quiet, my free hand resting on his neck. He pulls away, slow, smiling faint, and my heart’s full, steady, like this could be us if the world let it.
We eat more, sharing the fries, passing them back and forth, and it’s simple, sitting here, touching, no words needed. The sun’s high now, warming my skin, and I lean back, slow, letting my head rest on the rooftop, Nico beside me, close as ever. He’s quiet, picking at the bag, then looks at me, serious, his eyes searching mine. “What happens after this?” he asks, low, voice soft but heavy. “Do we just go back to normal?”
My breath catches, fast, and I sit up, slow, staring at him. Normal, what’s that now? Gigs, dancing, us, without blackmail or death hanging over us? I see it, him spinning on a floor, me at the decks, free, but it’s blurry, far off, and I don’t know how to get there. His hand tightens in mine, waiting, and I want to say something, promise him we’ll make it, but the words stick, heavy in my throat. I look away, quick, out at the trees, sun glinting off leaves, and he sighs, soft, leaning into me anyway.
We stay like that, quiet, holding on, and I feel him relax, slow, his head dropping to my shoulder, warm against me. My mind’s spinning, Mercer, Lena, government ties, but here, now, it’s just us, and I hold onto it, tight, like it could last. He steals another fry, playful, and I laugh, low, pushing him light, and it’s good, normal, for the first time in forever, like we’re stealing this day from the chaos.
The sun’s dipping, shadows stretching long, and I pull out my phone, slow, checking the time. Nico’s still beside me, humming soft, and I scroll quick, habit, when a news alert pops up, loud, cutting through the calm. I freeze, fast, reading it, Mercer’s name, bold, tied to some deal, moving fast, like he’s stepping up. “Nico,” I say, sharp, turning the screen to him, and he sits up, quick, eyes narrowing as he reads.
“Mercer’s making a move,” he says, low, voice hard now, the peace slipping away. My gut twists, cold, knowing this day’s over, our break, our quiet, gone, and I grab his hand again, tight, holding onto what we had, even as the storm rolls back in.